Polaris RANGER 500 EFI 4X4 2012 User manual

PMS 419
Owner's Manual
for Maintenance and Safety
500 EFI 4X4
500 EFI CREW
RANGER

WARNING
Read, understand, and follow all of the instructions and safety precautions in
this manual and on all product labels.
Failure to follow the safety precautions could result in serious injury or death.
WARNING
The engine exhaust from this product contains chemicals known to the State
of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.

The text is printed on 100% recycled
with 40% post-consumer waste (PCW).

At speeds too fast for your skills or the conditions.
After or while using Alcohol or Drugs.
On hills steeper than 15 degrees 15 .
On public roads. A collision can occur with another vehicle.
With more than ONE passenger on the 4X4, with more than
THREE passengers on the CREW, or with passengers under age
twelve or who cannot comfortably reach the floor and hand holds.
On paved surfaces - pavement may seriously affect handling
and control.
With non-Polaris approved accessories - they may seriously affect
stability.
PMS 419
WARNING
Improper vehicle use can result in SEVERE INJURY or DEATH
READ OWNER’S MANUAL.
FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS.
For your nearest Polaris dealer,
call 1-800-POLARIS
or visit www.polarisindustries.com
Polaris Sales Inc.
2100 Hwy. 55
Medina, MN 55340
Phone [phone]
Part No. 9923512 Rev 02
Printed in USA
NEVER Operate:
ALWAYS:
Wear your seat belt. Vehicle rollover could cause severe injury or
death.
Wear a helmet and eye protection and keep hands and feet in vehicle
at all times. Use the cab nets.
Reduce speed and use extra caution when carrying passengers.
Avoid sharp turns or turns while applying heavy throttle.
Operate slowly in reverse - avoid sharp turns or sudden braking.
Make sure passenger reads and understands all safety labels.
Watch for branches or other hazards that could enter vehicle.

1
WELCOME
Thank you for purchasing a POLARIS vehicle, and welcome to our world-wide family of
POLARIS owners. We proudly produce an exciting line of utility and recreational products.
• Snowmobiles
• All-terrain vehicles (ATVs)
•RANGER®utility vehicles
• Victory Motorcycles®
• Low Emission Vehicles (LEVs)
We believe POLARIS sets a standard of excellence for all utility and recreational vehicles
manufactured in the world today. Many years of experience have gone into the engineering,
design, and development of your POLARIS vehicle, making it the finest machine we’ve ever
produced.
For safe and enjoyable operation of your vehicle, be sure to follow the instructions and rec-
ommendations in this owner’s manual. Your manual contains instructions for minor mainte-
nance, but information about major repairs is outlined in the POLARIS Service Manual and
should be performed only by a factory certified Master Service Dealer®(MSD) technician.
Your POLARIS dealer knows your vehicle best and is interested in your total satisfaction. Be
sure to return to your dealership for all of your service needs during, and after, the warranty
period.
We also take great pride in our complete line of apparel, parts and accessories, available
through our online store at www.purepolaris.com. Have your accessories and clothing deliv-
ered right to your door!

2
POLARIS, THE WAY OUT, RANGER and RANGER CREW are registered trademarks of POLARIS Industries
Inc.
Copyright 2011 POLARIS Sales Inc. All information contained within this publication is based on the latest prod-
uct information at the time of publication. Due to constant improvements in the design and quality of production
components, some minor discrepancies may result between the actual vehicle and the information presented in
this publication. Depictions and/or procedures in this publication are intended for reference use only. No liability
can be accepted for omissions or inaccuracies. Any reprinting or reuse of the depictions and/or procedures con-
tained within, whether whole or in part, is expressly prohibited.
The original instructions for this vehicle are in English. Other languages are provided as translations of the origi-
nal instructions.
Printed in U.S.A.
2012 RANGER 500 EFI 4X4 / RANGER 500 EFI CREW Owner’s Manual
P/N 9923512

3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Features and Controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Emission Control Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
POLARIS Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Maintenance Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

4
INTRODUCTION
The RANGER is an off-road vehicle. Familiarize yourself with all laws and regulations con-
cerning the operation of this vehicle in your area.
The following signal words and symbols appear throughout this manual and on your vehicle.
Your safety is involved when these words and symbols are used. Become familiar with their
meanings before reading the manual.
The safety alert symbol indicates a potential personal injury hazard.
WARNING
A WARNING indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in death or serious injury.
CAUTION
A CAUTION indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in minor or moderate
injury.
NOTICE
A NOTICE indicates a situation that may result in property damage.
The Prohibition Safety Sign indicates an action NOT to take in order to avoid a hazard.
The Mandatory Action Sign indicates an action that NEEDS to be taken to avoid a hazard.
Failure to follow the warnings contained in this manual can result in severe injury or death.
A POLARIS RANGER is not a toy and can be hazardous to operate. This vehicle handles differently
than other vehicles, such as motorcycles and cars. A collision or rollover can occur quickly, even during
routine maneuvers like turning, or driving on hills or over obstacles, if you fail to take proper
precautions.
• Read this owner’s manual. Understand all safety warnings, precautions and operating procedures
before operating the vehicle. Keep this manual with the vehicle.
• This vehicle is an ADULT VEHICLE ONLY. NEVER operate this vehicle if you are under age 16 and
NEVER operate without a valid driver’s license.
• No person under the age of 12 may ride as a passenger in this vehicle. Any passenger must be able
to comfortably reach the floor and hand holds.
• Never permit a guest to operate this vehicle unless the guest has read this manual and all product
labels.
• Always use the cab nets while riding in this vehicle.
• Always keep hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times.
WARNING

5
INTRODUCTION
Vehicle Identification Numbers
Record your vehicle's identification numbers and key number in the spaces provided.
Remove the spare key and store it in a safe place. An ignition key can be duplicated only by
ordering a POLARIS key blank (using your key number) and mating it with one of your
existing keys. The ignition switch must be replaced if all keys are lost.
Vehicle Model Number: _______________________________________________________________________
Frame VIN: _________________________________________________________________________________
Engine Serial Number: ________________________________________________________________________
Key Number: _______________________________________________________________________________
European Vibration and Noise
The driver-perceived noise and hand/arm and whole body vibration levels of this machinery
is measured per prEN 15997.
The operating conditions of the machinery during testing:
The vehicles were in like-new condition. The environment was controlled as indicated by the
test procedure(s).
The uncertainty of vibration exposure measurement is dependent on many factors, including:
• Instrument and calibration uncertainty
• Variations in the machine such as wear of components
• Variation of machine operators such as experience or physique
• Ability of the worker to reproduce typical work during measurements
• Environmental factors such as ambient noise or temperature
Key
Number
####
VIN (Crew)
VIN (4X4)

6
SAFETY
Safety Labels and Locations
Warning labels have been placed on the vehicle for your protection. Read and follow the
instructions of the labels on the vehicle carefully. If any of the labels depicted in this manual
differ from the labels on your vehicle, always read and follow the instructions of the labels
on the vehicle.
If any label becomes illegible or comes off, contact your POLARIS dealer to purchase a
replacement. Replacement safety labels are provided by POLARIS at no charge. The part
number is printed on the label.
Clutch Cover Warning
WARNING
• Moving parts hazard under belt-clutch guard. To prevent serious injury, do not operate vehicle with
guard removed.
• Do not modify engine or clutch. Doing so can cause part failure, possible imbalance, and excessive
engine RPM which can result in serious injury or death. 7175488
Age 16 Warning
Operating this vehicle if you are under the age of 16 increases your chance of severe injury or death.
NEVER operate this vehicle if you are under age 16 and NEVER operate this vehicle without a valid
driver’s license. 7175566
Shift Caution
CAUTION
To avoid transmission damage, shift only when vehicle is stationary and at idle.
APPLY BRAKE TO START. When this vehicle is not in operation, or unattended, place shift in the park
position. 7176170
Clutch Cover
Warning
Discretionary Warning
Age 16 Warning Shift Caution